Horseshoe Question

[Rye Miles #13621]

Anyone know the correct way (if there is one) to hang a horseshoe above the door? I can't remember if it's up or down but isn't one of them bad luck??

 

Rye

[Poverty Bill, SASS# 45790]

Howdy

My mother always said to hang it up, so that your luck doesn't run out.

[Outrider Outlaw]

That's the way I heard it too.

[pfouts]

Thats how Col Potter on MASH hung his (rather had Radar hang it)

[Duke Ross 73372]

It depends upon where in the world you are as to how to hang a horse shoe.

 

In Italy they hang them on the side of the door with the open side facing the door way and you should touch it every time you pass thru the door.

 

Places in the world where they believe in witches and evil spirits the horse shoe is hung downward to shower the good luck down upon the entry way to keep bad spirits away.

 

In many areas it is believed you should hang it upward to catch luck and hold it in.

 

I did this research after building a new barn that nothing but bad things were occurring in, as a matter of fact things got so bad that one day I told my wife I was convinced it was built on a porthole to hell.

 

I tried everything three horse shoes one up and two down on every door and one on the side of each door.

 

Nothin seemed to fix the hex on this new building till my wife suggested hanging a photograph of John Wayne in the building.

 

I went into my study and brought out a photo of the Duke from the movie Dakota and screwed it to the barn wall.

 

Have had no problems since.

 

So I have since decided to hang horseshoes both on the side of the door and downward above the door along with a photo of John Wayne in every building I own.

[Cat Brules]

Me too. My momma told me on numerous occasions to hang my horseshoe (that I found out in the desert near El Paso) with the open end up so all the good luck would not run out. Today, I have horseshoes welded to various pipe posts and nailed to various wood posts around the place .... all open end up.

 

'Course the John Wayne picture thing might also be good to do.

Cat Brules

[Ellie Mae Mohr]

I'm in the open end up camp.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Open end down cuz it shields da buildin' from evil spirits an pour it's luck out on ya.

[Big Jake1001]

Got a BIG Horseshoe nailed above the garage Door for 17 years. It saved my house many times. It came from Rancho Los Alamitos by Long Beach CA. They have 3-4 Shire Horses there. Shires are as big or Bigger than Clydesdales so it's a Huge Horseshoe. 9 inch spread and 10 inches high, it hangs open end up. I found it on a Fence Post and brought it home when I bought my House in 1996. A couple of square nails came out of retirement and hold it firmly to the header of the garage. I weigh 400 lbs and can hang from it.

 

Jake

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

With respect for the Laws of Gravity and Murphy, I don't hang heavy objects over doorways.

 

And just WHY is a horseshoe considered GOOD luck? Seems to me it wasn't lucky for the horse that lost it.......

 

LL

[Rye Miles #13621]

Thanks for all the responses It seems there's no real consensus on how to hang it although the open end up gang seems to be winning. I think I'll go with open end down since it's easier to hang that way and I'm not superstitious anyways!!

 

Rye

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

From www.americanblacksmith.com :

 

Q: What is the proper way to hang a horse shoe ?
A: Yours is a fun question, one that I think everyone will enjoy.

History has shown horseshoes displayed with the heels both up and down.

 

They can be found on silver coins from 300 BC., displayed on banners, and

most recently above the door of many homes. More often than not, horseshoes

placed above the door have the heels up and the ground surface of the shoe

facing out. It is said that a horseshoe placed in this position over the door is

good luck for all who are in this home. However, there are also horseshoes

displayed with the heels down. The reasoning here is that from this shoe (with

the heels down) good luck will flow down upon all who come and go through

this doorway.

The tradition of putting a horseshoe over the door to bring good luck and keep
the devil away has long been tradition. The story behind this tradition has many
variations. This is one of them:

"Once upon a time, a wise old blacksmith was hard at work making horseshoes. The
sound of the anvil attracted the attention of the devil. He saw that the smith
was making horseshoes, and he thought it would be a good idea to get his own
hoofs shod. So the devil made a deal with the smith and stood to be shod.

"The wise blacksmith saw with whom he was dealing, and so he nailed on a red-hot
shoe, driving the nails square into the center of the devil's hoof. The devil
then paid him and left; but the honest blacksmith threw the money into the forge
fire, knowing it would bring him bad luck.

"Meanwhile, the devil walked some distance and began to suffer the greatest
torture from the new shoes. The more he danced and pranced and kicked and swore,
the more they hurt him. finally, after he had gone through the most fearful
agony, he tore them off and threw them away.

"From that time to this, whenever the devil sees a horseshoe he turns and
runs--anxious to keep out of the way of those torturous devices."

The above story is quoted from Dr. Doug Butler's book, "The Principles of
Horseshoeing."


Geronimo Bayard

The Village Blacksmith

Oakland, Oregon

[Bama Red]

I'm also in the open end up bunch, but I'm thinkin' the John Wayne picture thing has gotta help, too!

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Just use nails big enuff to keep it from falling on yur hed! Thet wud be baaad luck!!!

 

 

cpbc

[Rye Miles #13621]

From www.americanblacksmith.com :

 

Q: What is the proper way to hang a horse shoe ?

A: Yours is a fun question, one that I think everyone will enjoy.

History has shown horseshoes displayed with the heels both up and down.

 

They can be found on silver coins from 300 BC., displayed on banners, and

most recently above the door of many homes. More often than not, horseshoes

placed above the door have the heels up and the ground surface of the shoe

facing out. It is said that a horseshoe placed in this position over the door is

good luck for all who are in this home. However, there are also horseshoes

displayed with the heels down. The reasoning here is that from this shoe (with

the heels down) good luck will flow down upon all who come and go through

this doorway.

 

The tradition of putting a horseshoe over the door to bring good luck and keep

the devil away has long been tradition. The story behind this tradition has many

variations. This is one of them:

 

"Once upon a time, a wise old blacksmith was hard at work making horseshoes. The

sound of the anvil attracted the attention of the devil. He saw that the smith

was making horseshoes, and he thought it would be a good idea to get his own

hoofs shod. So the devil made a deal with the smith and stood to be shod.

 

"The wise blacksmith saw with whom he was dealing, and so he nailed on a red-hot

shoe, driving the nails square into the center of the devil's hoof. The devil

then paid him and left; but the honest blacksmith threw the money into the forge

fire, knowing it would bring him bad luck.

 

"Meanwhile, the devil walked some distance and began to suffer the greatest

torture from the new shoes. The more he danced and pranced and kicked and swore,

the more they hurt him. finally, after he had gone through the most fearful

agony, he tore them off and threw them away.

 

"From that time to this, whenever the devil sees a horseshoe he turns and

runs--anxious to keep out of the way of those torturous devices."

 

The above story is quoted from Dr. Doug Butler's book, "The Principles of

Horseshoeing."

 

 

Geronimo Bayard

 

The Village Blacksmith

 

Oakland, Oregon

What a great fable, thanks Hardpan!

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Oh yea, when you hang it, don't use a nail gun and run a nail through your finger like lefty did.....

 

cpbc